The Jarvis Family and Other Relatives

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Nissen Family

First Generation

Toego or Tycho Nissen was born in Holstein, Germany, in either 1730 or 1732, and came to Salem directly from Europe in 1770. He narrowly escaped drowning shortly after his arrival in NC, when his wagon overturned in an attempt to ford the flooded Yadkin River near Salisbury. Fortunately, he survived, and in 1775 he married Maria Salome Meurer (1750-1821). They served as leaders and schoolteachers for the Friedland congregation until 1780, when they moved back to Salem. He seems to have had many skills: in 1780 he was reported to be able to make chairs, spinning-wheels, and wheelbarrows, but was inexperienced in making gutters, and he also became both the gravedigger and the carver of gravestones. In 1781 it was suggested that he become the nightwatchman for Salem, and that he also serve as porter and assistant in the store by day (when did he sleep?). In 1783 he began making clay pipes, and the church diaries also mention "it would be well for Br. Tycho Nissen to sing a verse occasionally during his night-watch." (Perhaps this was to help keep him awake?) By 1784 his health seems to have deteriorated, and he was replaced as night-watchman during cold weather. In 1786, however, he was advised to take up repair of wagons, in 1788 he was making posts (presumably fence-posts) and also undertook the position of road-master. He was still making gravestones in this year, and shortly before his death in February 1789 was asked to lay logs on the road from Gottlob Krause's house to the tavern, which was becoming impassable. Less than a week after his death four different men were named to replace him in various roles: gravedigging, roadmaster, forester, and maker of gravestones.

The widow Maria Salome Meurer Nissen married Abraham Hessler in 1796. After his death in 1800, she became a teacher for the girls' school .

Second Generation

Children of Toego Nissen and Maria Salome Meurer
Maria Salome Nissen (1777-1858) m. Johann Jacob Schaub (1775-1837)
Christian Nissen (1780-1853) m. 1) Catharina Ried (1779-1808), 2) Salome Vogler (1786-1851)
Johann Phillip Nissen (1783-1792)
Johanna Elisabeth Nissen (1787-1864) m. Johann Christian Wilhelm Fries (1775-1866)

Third Generation

Children of Christian Nissen and Catharina Ried
Dorothea Nissen (1804-1843) m. William Parnell

Children of Christian Nissen and Salome Vogler
Sophia Elizabeth Nissen (1810-1879) did not marry
John Phillip Nissen (1813-1874) m. Mary Ann Elizabeth Vawter (1813-1884)
Israel Nissen (ca. 1818-1891) apparently did not marry
Maria Salome Nissen (1820-1876) did not marry
Loretta Lucinda Nissen (1828-1886) did not marry

Fourth Generation

Children of Dorothea Nissen and William Parnell
Harmon Apollus Parnell (1832-1834)
Jacob W. Parnell (1836-1877) m. Charlotte E. McKaughan (1840-1907)
Permelia Parnell (1842-1917) m. William Harrison Hensdale (1838-1915)
Susan Dorothy Parnell (1843-1875)

Susan Dorothy Parnell did not marry, but had a son Francis Lee Parnell, born 1869. She had lived with her aunts Sophia Elizabeth and Loretta Lucinda Nissen, and they kept the boy Francis after her death. Both name him in their wills.

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Children of John Phillip Nissen and Mary Ann Vawter Martha Sally Nissen (1836-1837)
Jane L. Nissen (ca. 1838-?) m. Jacob Mock (which Jacob Mock is this?)
George Elias Nissen (1839-1913) m. Sarah Ann Stafford (1845-1910)
John Israel Nissen (1841-1899) m. Leonora Adela Ebert (1842-1906)
Mary A.E. Nissen (1843-1933) m. Lewis Lagenauer (1826-1893)
Reuben B. Nissen (ca. 1845-?)
*Christian Francis Nissen (1847-1916) m. Bertha Elizabeth Shore (1852-1901)
Harriet Ellen Nissen (1849-1915) m. William Henry Shepperd (1838-1901), s/o Augustine Henry Shepperd and Martha Turner
Lewis Henry Nissen (1851-1857)
Alice A. Nissen (ca. 1854-?) m. R.C. Charles, s/o G.W. and Sarah Charles of Guilford County
William M. Nissen (1856-1934) m. Ida Wray (1874-1952)
Samuel Jacob Nissen (1858-1943) m. Dora E. Clodfelter (1861-1939), d/o John Alexander Clodfelter and Maria Regina Lineback

*Bertha Elizabeth Shore was the daughter of William Sandford Shore and Susan Elizabeth Kennedy. William Sandford Shore was the son of an unmarried woman, Johanna Elizabeth Shore (b. 1800; who were her parents?).

Fifth Generation

Children of George Elias Nissen and Sally Stafford
Mary E. Nissen (ca. 1868-?)
Bob S. Nissen (ca. 1871-1929)

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Children of John Israel Nissen and Leonora Ebert
Clara N. Nissen (1868-1928) m. William B. Ellis
Harry E. Nissen (1873-1932)
Frederick I. Nissen (1881-1937)

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Children of Christian Francis Nissen and Bertha Elizabeth Shore
Fannie B. Nissen (probably b. & d. 1870)
Maggie Nissen (ca. 1871-?)
Earnest Nissen (ca. 1874-?)
Allie Nissen (ca. 1876-?)
Monnie Nissen (ca. 1879-?)
Carl F. Nissen (1890-1921)
William E. Nissen (d. 1927)
John F. Nissen (d. 1943)

Christian Nissen's will (1910) refers to "all my children" and mentions that eight are living, but does not name them. We therefore seem to be missing at least one. Can anyone help?

Sources

Records of the Moravians in North Carolina, 12 volumes; Publications of the North Carolina Historical Commission

Death Notices from the People's Press (Salem, North Carolina) 1851-1892, An Indexed Abstract, compiled and edited by Robert M. Topkins, Forsyth Co. Genealogical Society, Winston-Salem, 1997

Forsyth Co. NC cemetery records

Forsyth Co. NC census records

Forsyth County Wills 1849-1917, An Indexed Abstract, published by the Forsyth County Genealogical Society; abstracted and transcribed by Jerry Sumner, indexed by Faye Jarvis Moran.

This page was created on May 6, 2001 and revised on March 24, 2004.

©, 2001-2007 Faye Jarvis Moran and Elizabeth H. Harris
faye@fmoran.com, ncgen@mindspring.com

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